Korean Zucchini Rice Bowl: Easy Aehobak Deopbap Recipe
This korean zucchini rice bowl (Aehobak Deopbap) is a super simple Korean home-cooked meal featuring thinly julienned zucchini stir-fried with garlic, green onion, tuna fish sauce (chamchi-aek), and oyster sauce served over warm rice. Topped with a fried egg for extra nuttiness and protein, you can create a healthy meal in under 15 minutes.
What Is Aehobak Deopbap?
Aehobak Deopbap literally means “stir-fried zucchini served over rice.” In Korean cuisine, traditional aehobak (Korean green squash) has thinner skin, a smaller size, and a sweeter taste than Western zucchini. However, since I don’t have aehobak while living in Belgium, I use standard zucchini instead.
The secret to this Korean easy zucchini rice bowl is salting the zucchini beforehand! The reason for salting the zucchini is to draw out unnecessary moisture through osmosis, preserving a crisp texture and allowing the seasonings to absorb perfectly. After that, simply stir-fry it in olive oil infused with gentle garlic and green onion aromas, add tuna fish sauce and oyster sauce for a quick, savory kick, and serve it over rice, that’s all it takes!
How Do You Prepare Zucchini For Stir-Frying Without Getting Soggy?
The process of salting the sliced zucchini in this Korean zucchini bowl recipe,
do not skip this under any circumstances! It is the most critical secret to making the best zucchini bowl recipe.
- Salting Ratio: Use 1/2 tsp of fine salt for 1/2 medium-sized zucchini.
- Salting Time: Leave it for exactly 10 minutes so that enough moisture is released through osmosis.
- Squeezing: Firmly squeeze out the liquid with your hands before adding it to the pan.
- Sautéing Time: Don’t overcook it! Sautéing for too long destroys the crispiness. Once it becomes slightly translucent in the oil, it is cooked through, usually within about 3 minutes.
What Substitutions Can You Use For Tuna Fish Sauce and Oyster Sauce?
If you don’t have tuna fish sauce or oyster sauce for this Korean zucchini rice bowl, try these simple alternatives for this easy zucchini rice bowl. However, please note that the deep umami flavor provided by tuna fish sauce and oyster sauce can never, ever be truly replicated by substitutes… Since oyster sauce and tuna fish sauce are used in many Korean dishes, I highly recommend buying them to keep in your pantry!
- Tuna Fish Sauce or Oyster Sauce Substitutes: Standard Korean dark soy sauce (jin-ganjang) or regular fish sauce (1 tbsp).
- Vegan Option: If you want a completely vegan meal, instead of the fried egg topping, you can add golden pan-fried tofu, stir-fry mushrooms together with the zucchini, or omit toppings entirely!
Easy Zucchini Rice Bowl Ingredients
Korean Zucchini Rice Bowl Recipe
- Julienne the zucchini using a mandoline slicer. If you don’t have a mandoline, slice it thinly with a knife.
- Sprinkle salt over the julienned zucchini and let it marinate for 10 minutes. Then, squeeze out the moisture thoroughly to prepare it.
- Chop the green onion into small rounds and mince the garlic. Thinly slice the onion.
- Heat olive oil in a pan, add the green onion and garlic, and stir-fry over low heat. When the aroma of the green onion and garlic rises, add the onion and stir-fry.
- Once the onion becomes translucent, add the zucchini, tuna fish sauce, and oyster sauce, then stir-fry.
- Set aside the cooked zucchini and make a fried egg in the pan.
- Place the cooked rice in a bowl, put the cooked zucchini on top, and add the fried egg. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds to finish. Mix well and enjoy.
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Korean Zucchini Rice Bowl: Aehobak Deopbap
Ingredients
- 1 bowl cooked rice
- 1/2 zucchini
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 stalk green onion
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp tuna fish sauce or Korean soy sauce (jin ganjang)
- 0.5 tbsp oyster sauce
Toppings
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Julienne the zucchini using a mandoline slicer. If you don't have a mandoline, slice it thinly with a knife.1/2 zucchini
- Sprinkle salt over the julienned zucchini and let it marinate for 10 minutes. Then, squeeze out the moisture thoroughly to prepare it.1/2 tsp fine salt, 1/2 zucchini
- Chop the green onion into small rounds and mince the garlic. Thinly slice the onion.1/4 stalk green onion, 1/2 tbsp minced garlic, 1/2 onion
- Heat olive oil in a pan, add the green onion and garlic, and stir-fry over low heat.2 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 stalk green onion, 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
- When the aroma of the green onion and garlic rises, add the onion and stir-fry.1/2 onion
- Once the onion becomes translucent, add the zucchini, tuna fish sauce, and oyster sauce, then stir-fry.1/2 zucchini, 1 tbsp tuna fish sauce, 0.5 tbsp oyster sauce
- Set aside the cooked zucchini and make a fried egg in the pan.1 egg
- Place the cooked rice in a bowl, put the cooked zucchini on top, and add the fried egg. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds to finish.1 bowl cooked rice, 1 tsp sesame seeds
- Mix well and enjoy.
Nutrition
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